


The Proposal

by dwalinfuckinson



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bilbo Remains In Erebor, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, M/M, Marriage Proposal, massive amounts of tooth rotting fluff, rated teen because dwalin has no filter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:55:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24082441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dwalinfuckinson/pseuds/dwalinfuckinson
Summary: Thorin knows he wants to marry his hobbit love, but how does one ask the love of their life to marry them? Lucky for Thorin, Bilbo is always one step ahead of him.
Relationships: Bilbo Baggins/Thorin Oakenshield, Dwalin/Ori (Tolkien)
Comments: 14
Kudos: 204





	The Proposal

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kytanna](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kytanna/gifts).



> For my lovely wife Kytanna who gave me this great prompt: "Thorin discusses with Dwalin that he wants to propose to Bilbo but he's not sure what to do and is super lost and worried. In the end Bilbo proposes first."
> 
> Hope you like it <3

Thorin stared down at the list in his hands as his best friend sighed beside him. There were so many options! So many ways this could go! How could he ever choose just one way to confess his heart to his beloved?

Dwalin leaned over and jabbed a thick finger at one of the lines on the page. “So what’s wrong with this one?” Thorin groaned and leaned back in his chair.

“I told you! Hobbits have an entire language devoted to flowers. What if I give him a bouquet and I’m secretly telling him to jump off the mountain side?” Dwalin burst out laughing, hands coming to rest on his belly. Thorin groaned once more and slumped forward to lay his head on the table, feeling utterly defeated. “How did you ever do this? How did you get Ori to say yes?” Dwalin huffed and reached for his ale, pausing to think back over his not-a-proposal proposal to Ori. A wicked gleam appeared in his eye as he took a sip of his drink.

“Well, I waited until I pulled out, and then-” Thorin bolted upright and shoved his friend’s shoulder.

“Okay! Thank you for that  _ very _ unhelpful comment. No wonder Dori and Nori tried to gut you after they found out you two were engaged. I thought they just hated you.” Dwalin smacked him upside the head before downing the rest of his ale.

“Look, if you don’t want my help, I can find somewhere else to be. Preferably with Ori in my lap.” Thorin just shrugged and looked back at the list, a desperate look in his eyes. Dwalin knew this was eating away at his friend, and decided to take a more serious approach to helping him. 

“Alright, here’s what I can say about your hobbit: he’s fussy and stuffy and cares too much about his respectability to want half of the grand things on your list. It wouldn’t surprise me if he pulled another fainting stunt like he did back in the Shire if you roped all of Erebor into this. For reasons only Mahal Himself could understand, he loves you. Not your title, not what grandiose things you can give him,  _ you _ . Remember what your brother always told us about a first kiss?” 

Thorin nodded. “Keep it simple, stupid.”

“Exactly. He’d tell you the same thing I am: trust your gut and keep it simple!  _ That’s _ what your little hobbit wants, not a declaration of intent in front of the entire world. Now, I would have suggested making him a nice meal and asking him then, but knowing your cooking skills you’d either poison the poor lad or burn down the damned mountain.” At this, Thorin let out a hearty laugh for the first time in days. His culinary skills, or lack thereof, were the stuff of legend back in the Blue Mountains. Thorin grabbed his cup and stared thoughtfully across the room.

“Perhaps I should ask Bombur for help in putting together something nice. Bilbo always talks about his meat pies like they’re straight from the Valar themselves.” Dwalin grinned and smacked his friend on the shoulder.

“There ya go! I could ask Ori for some book recommendations if you wanted to gift him something as well.” A look of horror dawned on Thorin’s face.

“Gifts! Oh Mahal, how could I have forgotten about gifts! Dwalin, I need a new list, ask around the guilds to find me enough master craftsmen to craft anything he could wish for. Maybe check with the farming hands as well, see if-” Dwalin groaned and set his now empty cup down on the table. This was going to be a long night.

  
  


\------------------------------------------------

  
  


Holding court was probably the most Kingly task Thorin was responsible for, at least according to Bilbo. He truthfully had no idea what duties were expected of a King besides what he had read in his books. Considering that Thorin was not in the princess-saving businesses, he imagined that it was the much more boring duties of writing letters, yelling at nobles, and brokering peace between the guilds. 

Bilbo came upon the massive double doors of the throne room, dwarven guards posted for security and crowd control. His appointment with Thorin was soon and he wanted to be there as early as possible. Thorin, of course, had no idea he was coming. Or that he had asked Balin to secretly gather the Company in the rooms behind the throne. 

Bilbo stepped to the side as those who were there to watch the daily Court proceedings moved in and out of the great chamber. He was slightly nervous as he smoothed his hands down his waistcoat. He had commissioned Dori and the other masters of the tailor’s guild to craft an outfit for the occasion: a bright emerald waistcoat with golden embroidery, a new shirt and trousers made in the traditional hobbit style, and a handkerchief with little acorn decorations around the border. He had also had new brass buttons made in the shape of acorns, hoping that Thorin would pick up on the subtle hints to their tree that had been planted after the Battle of the Five Armies. Bilbo tugged on his shirt sleeves as he waited to enter, occasionally feeling for the small box hidden in his pocket. 

When it was nearly time for his turn in front of the king, he slipped into the hall behind a large group of dwarves. He wanted to keep himself hidden until the last possible moment so he could truly surprise his dwarf. He saw his friends dotted throughout the crowd, though Dwalin and Balin stood at the King’s side on the dias. There were quiet murmurs throughout the hall as dwarves discussed what petitions had been brought before the Court that day, though they all fell silent when Balin called out the name of the next petitioner.

“Master Bilbo Baggins of the Shire, please step forward and present your case to His Majesty King Thorin!” Bilbo watched as Thorin sat up straighter in his throne, eyes darting around the hall looking for the hobbit. He saw him turn to Balin and whisper his name, confusion clear across his sharp features. Bilbo stepped out onto the walkway directly in front of the throne and strode forward towards the King, not stopping until he was close enough to see Thorin’s bright blue eyes gazing at him in question. He dropped into a quick bow, just as Balin had instructed him to, before standing to look upon the dwarf he loved. He drew a deep breath, straightened his shoulders, and began to speak.

“O King Thorin, High Dwarf Lord Under the Mountain! I have come to you with a very important request, one that I believe you will be most agreeable to. You see, I have a problem, and a great one at that, that only His Majesty can solve!” He watched as Thorin’s face grew only more confused with a bit of concern pushing through. He fought to hold back a smile as he continued. “This problem first reared its head many years ago, the night you and 12 other dwarves barged through my door and ate all my food! It continued to plague me throughout our long journey over high mountains and deep rivers, and it became much more troublesome once we had won back Erebor. Through the last few years it has continued to lurk unaddressed in every corner of this mountain, in every meal we have shared, in every night we have spent together.” Thorin made a small choking sound and made as if to stand from the throne. He paused when Bilbo held up a finger, and after a stern look from Balin became seated once more.

“Oh no, I am not done! This problem, you see, is even grander than you could expect! It hovers over me morning, noon, and night, and it is one that permeates this very hall. My problem, Thorin Oakenshield, is that from the very moment you walked into my life, I have wanted nothing more than to do this.” Bilbo stepped forward until he was at the very base of the dias, then smoothly fell to one knee. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the box, presenting it to his beloved before him. Nestled inside was a silver ring with oak leaves engraved around the band, a simple but lovely piece of jewelry that he had commissioned from Fili for this very moment. A large grin broke across his face as he prepared to ask the most important question of his life.

“I, Bilbo Baggins of the Shire, would ask for His Majesty King Thorin’s hand in marriage. I would ask for the opportunity to hold his hand and see his smile every day as we grow old in this mountain of ours. I would ask for the chance to have his laugh grace my ears and his voice touch my soul for the rest of our lives. I would ask- oh!” Bilbo gasped as strong arms pulled him up off of the floor and crushed him against a warm body, the dwarf they were attached to spinning him in a circle before gently depositing him back on the floor. He looked up to see the widest grin he’d ever seen stretched across Thorin’s face, his cheeks pink and his eyes sparkling brightly in the light of the hall. Thorin reached up to cradle his hobbit’s face between his palms and bent down to place a sweet kiss upon his lips. They stood in a world made up of only themselves for a blissful moment, taking in the love that radiated from the other and forgetting the rest of the world existed. That was, of course, until Dwalin yelled at Thorin.

“Well, what do you say you big blockhead?” They both laughed as Thorin carefully slid the box from Bilbo’s hand before pulling the ring out and placing it upon his finger. He beamed down at Bilbo and took his beloved back into his arms once more.

“Yes.”

\------------------------------------------------

The Company roared with laughter as Thorin told them about his proposal list and the advice Dwalin had offered him. 

“And then he said, ‘Keep it simple, your hobbit doesn’t want a declaration in front of the entire world!’” Kili snorted ale out of his nose while Bofur slapped the table, tears running down his cheeks. Dwalin frowned and looked down into his cup. 

“How was I supposed to know he’d do something so big?” Dwalin groused. Ori patted him on the shoulder and leaned into his husband’s side.

“Well,  _ I _ think it’s sweet,” Ori said. “And it sure beats what I got.” At this, Dori and Nori shot Dwalin a murderous glance, and he shrunk further into his seat. Bilbo turned to his betrothed and reached for his hand.

“I would have loved anything as long as it was coming from you,” Bilbo declared. “Even if you _did_ plan to get the war rams to spell out my name on the mountainside!” The Company burst into laughing fits again, this time at Thorin’s expense. Thorin shrugged and took a sip of his drink.

_ At least it would’ve been better than Dwalin’s.  _

**Author's Note:**

> That's all folks! Completely unedited so all mistakes are mine. I hope you enjoyed!


End file.
